NFL Wild Card Weekend 2014-15: TV Schedule, Live Stream and Game Previews
After 17 long weeks and 256 regular-season games, 20 NFL teams have been officially eliminated from postseason contention and 12 will advance into the playoffs. Of those 12 teams, eight will take the gridiron once again to kick off the new year with two days of intensity known as Wild Card Weekend.
These four games will give us our first glimpse of postseason action in 2015, and by the conclusion of the weekend, the playoff field will already be whittled down to eight squads. This kind of high-stakes action makes for must-see TV every year, and considering the participating teams this time around, you won't want to miss what's in store in January.
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As we impatiently await this compelling weekend to kick off, let's take a look at the slate's full TV schedule and live stream information, followed by a glimpse of what's to come.
TV Schedule
| Sat., Jan. 3 | 4:35 p.m. | Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers | ESPN |
| Sat., Jan. 3 | 8:15 p.m. | Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers | NBC |
| Sun., Jan. 4 | 1:05 p.m. | Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts | CBS |
| Sun., Jan. 4 | 4:40 p.m. | Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys | Fox |
Live Stream Info
ESPN: WatchESPN
CBS: CBSSports.com
Fox: Fox Sports Go
Wild-Card Previews
Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers
The Panthers may have finished the season with a 7-8-1 record, but that was good enough to win the NFC South and earn home-field advantage for a playoff game. Meanwhile, injuries rapidly took their toll on the Cardinals, as the team fell out of first place in the NFC West, losing four of its last six games.
Carolina is beginning to resemble a playoff team, and that's mostly due to its resurgent defense. This team held a prolific Atlanta Falcons attack to three points, forced three turnovers and sacked Matt Ryan six times in its regular-season finale. The Panthers offense remains inconsistent; although, Cam Newton has a nice track record at this time of year, according to ESPN Stats & Info:
Arizona's defense has been its strong suit throughout the regular season; however, as injuries mounted, it lost its efficiency, giving up a total of 55 points over the final two games of the regular season. Making matters worse is the poor play of third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley. He's been erratic and won't have it easy against a solid Panthers defense. This team needs its remaining playmakers to step up in a hurry.
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers
This clash of AFC North foes won't be for the faint of heart. When the Ravens and Steelers meet, it's generally a slugfest that results in bumps and bruises for both squads. These teams split their regular-season series, each winning by exactly a 20-point margin at their respective home fields. The third edition of this matchup will take place in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals for the rights to the AFC North to end the regular season, but running back Le'Veon Bell was injured in the process, suffering a hyperextended knee, according to Scott Brown of ESPN.com. With his status up in the air, Pittsburgh will need increased production from Antonio Brown and its prolific passing game. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport tweeted some good news:
Baltimore has been solid against the run this season; however, injuries in the secondary led to a weakness against the pass. That's not a good omen against a Pittsburgh team that has been stellar through the air this season. The Ravens will need a strong performance from running back Justin Forsett to keep Ben Roethlisberger and Co. on the sidelines.
Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts
The Bengals fell to the Steelers for the second time in four weeks on Sunday, dropping to the No. 5 seed in the process. Now they'll have to travel to Indianapolis and test their strong secondary against Andrew Luck and one of the NFL's deadliest passing attacks.
Cincinnati may have lost its regular-season finale, but it's finally found its offensive identity. Rookie running back Jeremy Hill has been a revelation for this team out of the backfield, taking much of the burden off quarterback Andy Dalton. This team is seeking its first playoff victory since 1991, and a strong running game gives it a chance to end that drought.
Indianapolis has boasted one of the league's best offenses this season; however, the team hasn't seemed to be on the same page of late. Plenty of miscues and turnovers have plagued this team in recent weeks. Although, it did begin to show signs of life in Week 17 against the Tennessee Titans. Getting a running game going will be key to opening up passing lanes against the Bengals.
Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys
This is a very intriguing matchup, as it pits one of the league's best defenses against one of the best offenses. The Lions rode a very strong defense to an 11-5 record this season, but they will have their work cut out against a Cowboys offense that has scored at least 38 points in each of its last four regular-season games.
Detroit has been phenomenal against the run this season, and that will be a crucial element for the defense against the NFL's rushing leader DeMarco Murray. Offensively, Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson must find a way to get on the same page early against a Cowboys secondary that has been exploited by better receivers this year.
Dallas possesses one of the most balanced offenses in the NFL. The combination of Murray, Dez Bryant and Tony Romo has been unstoppable in recent weeks, and continuing that balance will be necessary to keep the Lions on their heels and the pass rush away from Romo. The offensive line's ability to keep its quarterback's jersey clean will be crucial for Dallas' success in this contest.
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